Electric switch.



N0. 642,1159. Patented Ian. 30, I900. I. ROBBINS.

EL'EGTRlC SWITCH.

{Application filed may 26, 1899. (No Model.) 2 Sheets-$heet I.

SVl LW/l/L'COQ Jim 190666725,

"LIICIJ No. 642,159. Patented Jan. 30,- I900.

l. ROBBINS. ELECTRIC SWITCH.

{Application filed May 26, 1899.} {No Model.) 2 SheetsSheefi 2.

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A'rnrrr FFICE.

IRA ROBBINS, OF CAMDEN, NEYV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO TIMOTHY D. KELLY, OFPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 642,1 59, dated January30,1900.

Application filed May 26, 1899- Serial No. 718,318. (No model.)

To all 'II/ZI/(HIL it vztzty concern.-

Be it known that l, IRA ROBBINS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Camden, in the county of Camden and State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inelectric switches of that class designed to be operated by means ofcontacts carried by the trolley or trolleypole and engaging contacts atpredetermined points to actuate the tongue of the switch throughsuitable intermediate electrical connections.

The present invention has for its objects, among others, to improve uponthis class of devices, whereby greater efliciency and simplicity ofconstruction are attained and the mechanism better adapted for operationin either direction of movement of the car or trolley. I provide thetrolley-pole with swing ing weighted levers or contacts free to swing ineither direction and normally held in their vertical position withoutthe employment of springs. Upon the car are foot-levers adapted to beoperated by the foot of the motorman to throw the current into one orthe other of the two contacts, so as to energize the required one of twomagnets or solenoids to throw the switch in the desired direction.

I aim, further, at improvements in the details of construction, all asmore fully hereinai'ter described, shown in the drawings, and thenparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings,which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of thisspecification, and in which- Figure 1 is an elevation showing theoverhead portion of my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan of the overheadcontacts. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 3 3 ofFig. 1. Fig. a is a diagrammatic View of the entire mechanism. Fig. 5 isan enlarged section through the foot-lever and its cooperating contact.

Like letters and figures of reference indicate like parts throughout theseveral views.

Referring now to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates thetrolley-wire, B the trolley, and O the trolley-pole, mounted in theusual manner.

D is a sleeve mounted on and insulated from the trolley-pole near itsupper end, and projecting from diametrically opposite sides thereof arethe pins or studs (Z, insulated from each other, upon each of which ismounted'to freely swing an arm E, extending above and below the pivot,the upper end being of such length as to engage the fixed contacthereinafter described and the lower portion weighted, as seen at c, tonormally hold the arm in its vertical position, as seen in Fig. 1.

F are hangers suspended in any suitable manner and supporting thetrolley-wire, and in these hangers are supported the transverse rods G,around which are insulating-sleeves g, and from these rods are suspendedthe hangers H, which at their lower ends carry the contact-plates I,which may be of any de-. sired length, and their ends are preferablyturned up, as seen at t', so as to prevent injury to the swinging armsas they come in contact therewith.

J is the tongue of the switch. It is pivoted atj, as seen in Fig. at,and has pivotally connected therewith, as at 7t, one end of the rod K,the other end of which is pivotally connected, as at Z, with the freeend of the pivoted armature L, which is disposed between the two magnetsM and N, which are disposed beneath the surface of the ground in a watentight box at any convenient place.

The contacts L may be placed at any convenient distance from the switch,it being understood that they are entirely insulated from the trolleywire, and the magnets are energized by the trolley-current through themedium of these contacts in the following manner:

Mounted on the front and rear platforms of the car are the foot-leversor switches O 0 and P P, as indicated in Fig. 4:. A common connection orwire 1 unites all of the switches with the trolley-pole, the latterbeing hollow, as seen in Fig. 3, and the wire passing there through.

2 and 3 are wires passed through the trolleypole, as seen in Fig. 3, andconnected one to each of the swinging arms or contacts E and with thefree poles 0 and p of the foot-levers or switches O and P.

The free ends of the magnets are connected together and a connection ,4joins them with the rails or ground-return circuit, as seen in Fig. 4. I

One of the contacts I is connected by wire 5 with the magnet M, whilethe other of said contacts is connected by wire 6 with the other magnetN, all as shown clearly in Fig. 4:.

R are springs around the shanks of the footlevers and the free poles, asseen in Fig. 5, for normally keeping the same in their relativepositions.

With the parts constructed and arranged substantially as above set forththe operation will be apparent, and, briefly stated, is as follows: Whenthe trolley-pole nears the contacts I, the upper ends of the contacts E,being in their vertical position, will strike the under sides of thesaid contacts I, and by reason of their being pivoted they will assumean inclined position, so as to maintain a rubbing contact with thecontacts I. Before reaching the said contacts I the motormanby placinghis foot upon one or the other of the foot-levers completes the circuitthrough either of the contacts E, and hence through the correspondingcontact I, so as to throw the switch in the desired direction. As thecontacts E come to the end of the contacts I they will suddenly leavethe same by reason of their free-swinging motion and the weights at thelower ends thereof. This sudden breaking of the contact is consideredimportant, as it will prevent destructive sparking at the contacts. Asthe circuit is completed the magnet M or the magnet N, according towhich of the contacts E is thrown into the circuit, is energized and thearmature attracted thereby, so as to move the rod K, and thereby theswitch J, as will be readily understood.

The free-swinging movement of the contacts E permits of their beingemployed as well in the one direction of movement of the car as in theother.

It is evident that the mechanism above described may be employed underground as well as overhead and that other modifica- 1 tions in detailmay be resorted to without de- What is claimed as new is 1. Thecombination with a pivotedswitch, the trolley-wire and the fixedcontacts, of a trolley and its pole, swinging Weighted contacts on saidpole independent of the trolley, and electrical devices and connectionsfor actuating said switch,substantially as specified.

2. The combination with apivoted switch, the trolley-wire and the fixedcontacts, of the trolley, its hollow pole, swinging weighted contactsindependent of the trolley, on the pole, a pivoted armature, magnet andconnections between said armature and switch, and wires connected witheach swinging contact and passed through the pole and connected withsaid magnet, substantially as specified.

3. The combination with the trolley-wire and the fixed contactsinsulated therefrom, of the trolley, its pole, the swinging contactsthereon on pivots out of line with the axis of the trolley, foot-leversand contacts, a switch and electric devices and connections foractuating the same, substantially as specified.

at. A hollow trolley-pole, a sleeve thereon, laterally-projecting studson said sleeve independent of and out of line with the axis of thetrolley and projecting beyond the sleeve, and weighted contactspivotally mounted on said studs, substantially as specified.

5. A hollow trolley-pole, a sleeve thereon with laterally-projectingstuds, between the axis of the trolley and the other end of said pole,weighted arms pivotally mounted on said studs, wiresrunning through thepole and connected with the said arms, a main wire connected with thepole,a pivoted switch, and foot-levers or switches and their contactsand electrical connections substantially as specified.

6. The combination of a pivoted switch, magnets, an armature disposedbetween the same, a connection between the free end of the armature andthe switch, fixed contacts connected with the magnets, a trolley-pole,weighted swinging contacts thereon upon opposite sides of the pole outof line with the axis of the trolley, foot-levers and contacts, amain-line wire connected with the pole and with the said levers, andwires connecting the swinging contacts with the contacts of thefoot-levers, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- IRA ROBBINS.

Witnesses:

AMos ORANDALL, J. MOORE WHITE.

IIO

